The present invention relates generally to a glass tile system and a method of installing glass tiles on a subsurface, such as a floor, wall, counter top, table top, or ceiling, by framing the glass tiles with rods of solid flexible plastic or polymer material, by forming a grouting frame around the glass tiles with rods of solid flexible plastic or polymer material, which are removably fastened to the subsurface with a plurality of fasteners.
Use of glass tiles on subsurfaces such as floors, walls, ceilings, and counter-tops is uncommon because of safety concerns arising from the possibility that the tile will break or crack. Progress made in the art of manufacturing tempered and laminated glass has improved the safety of glass and has increased the desirability of using glass tiles on such subsurfaces in a home or office environment. The advantages of glass tile over other tile materials is that glass can be manufactured at various levels of transparency, and the colors in the glass tile can be altered during manufacturing and made uniform throughout the tile. Although the use of tempered and laminated glass tiles has greatly improved the safety of using glass tiles, precautions need to be taken when installing and using glass tiles to further reduce the likelihood of premature cracking and breaking. In particular, the glass tiles need to be installed in such a manner so that one tile does not rub or push against another tile or another rigid surface or material. Also, in the event that a glass tile does crack or break, it is necessary for safety reasons to make the tile easily removable and replaceable.
Using tiles made from ceramics, marbles, or other materials to cover floors, walls, and counter tops is well known and broadly practiced. There are two general methods of installation that are commonly used when installing tiles on subsurfaces, such as floors, walls and counter tops. The first method consists of adhering the tiles to the subsurface using cement and fine grain sand as the adhesive material, and using the cement and fine grain material as a grouting between the tiles. The second method consists of gluing the tiles to the subsurface, whereby one tile is placed immediately adjacent to the next tile, which requires no grouting between the tiles.
These two methods are disadvantageous when using glass tiles. In particular, the cement and fine grain sand grouting is inflexible and does not allow the tiles to move or flex, which increases the possibility that the glass tiles and grouting may crack or break. The method of gluing one tile immediately adjacent to the next tile also does not allow the tile to move or flex and can cause increased cracking and breaking along the adjacent edges of glass tiles. In addition, neither method allows for easy removal of tiles in the event that the tile is cracked or broken.